BMW 5 Series gets a new rival: Mercedes Benz CLS Shooting Brake

Mercedes-Benz has confirmed plans to put the CLS Shooting Brake into production in 2012. A year after BMW has unveiled their Gran Tourer, 5 Series GT, the new vehicle will enter the same segment as BMW’s highly controversial, but later somewhat accepted 5 Series Gran Turismo.

The Concept certainly brings out an attractive look, carrying forward the next generation CLS language previewed in the Mercedes F800 Style. The rear end offers a more pronounced coupe

look than seen on the 5 GT, with a tall roof.

The car features a long hood

look windows with frameless side windows, and a dynamic roof sloping back towards the rear.Powertrain for the Mercedes-Benz CLS Shoot Brake will be carried over from the four-door-coup CLS

Engine choices for the CLS sedan will include a 3.5-liter V6 making 306 hp, a 4.7-liter V8 making 435 hp and the top-of-the-line 5.5-liter, twin-turbocharged V8 making about 555 hp. We expect similar choices for the wagon.
Some label the CLS as a wagon-type of vehicle, but we’re incline to believe that the demographic will overlap with the one for the 5GT.

Despite the initial skepticism, BMW 5 Series GT sales have exceeded the target. In Europe, BMW sold 19,172 units in the first three quarters of 2010. In the same time period, 5 Series Wagon sales sheet recorded 17,617 units.
Is this a winner takes all segment? Most likely not, so we expect the two German automakers to retain their customer base without much crossing over.